Device for feeding sheets to printing and like machines.



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`APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1905.

@MW- M65-jd n. @RN @mwN v ,WMM W gg@ f l g Y w w.\ lmw EM m L I N /1//\`UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

FRANK EDWARD HODGKINSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE PRINTINGAPPLIANCE AND ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED,

OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patente@ Jan. 1, 190'?.

Application led September 29, 1905. Serial No. 280,570.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK EDWARD Hone- K'INsoN, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, and residing at 12 Warner street,Olerkenwell, London, E. O., England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Devices for Feeding Sheets to Printing and LikeMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the feeding of sheets to printing and likemachines, and more particularly to the obtainment'of an accurate sidelay.

Devices have hitherto been employed which when the sheets are fed up toa front lay move towardthe sheets from the side, grip them, recede andpull the sheets against the side lay or stop, and then release them.v

These devices are, however, of a complex nature, and consequentlyexpensive to make. They are also not reversible-that is to'say, aseparate device has to be made for laying the sheets to each side.

The object ofthe present invention is to produce a device which is ofvery simple construction, having a minimum number` of parts, isreversible and yet is very efficient in action, simple means beingprovided to permit adjustment relatively to the sheets to be fed.

The invention consists, broadly, in reciprocating a pivoted weight orcam laterally over the sheet, so that it freely passes `onto the sheet,but binds the same against a movable bar or surface beneath the sheetand draws it to one side on its return movement.

The invention consists, more specifically, in freely pivoting a cam orweight upon the end of a lever, which is suitably supported andreciprocated in such a manner thatwhen advanced toward a sheet from theside the inertia imparted to the cam or weight causes it to rise, sothat it is carried forward clear of the sheet, the cam or weight fallingonto the sheet and pressing the same against a movable bar or surfacebeneath with sufficient friction on the return movement of the lever topull the sheet against the side lay or stop.

The invention further consists in providing an adjustment whereby theeffective weight or pressure of the cam upon the sheet may be regulatedas desired.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one mode of carrying 'out theinvention.

Figure l is a side elevation showing the device when moving forward, andFi .g2 a similar view when moving backwar and gripping the sheet. Figs.3 and 4 arezgtwo views of one form of side layor stop which may beemployed. Figs. 5 and 6 show two modified forms of weight or cam.

In carrying out the invention according to one mode a curved weight orcam a is freely'pivoted on the end of the long arm of a bell-crank leverI), which in turn is ivoted on a bracket c, secured in any suitab emanner to a reciprocating bar or other member d, near the side of thelay-board of the printing or other machine to which the invention is tobe applied, The bracket may be slotted so that it can be adjustablysecured to the reciprocating bar by a set-screw m or the like. T hebardextends across the lay-board, being fitted to slide in a groovetherein flush with the surface of the board.

An adjusting-screw e may be fitted on the bracket c so as to bear on theshort arm of the bell-crank lever b and regulate the position of thelong arm of the lever relatively to thesurface of the paper g, wherebythe cam a is caused to bear with more or less of its weight upon thesheet. A spring f may be fitted to the bracket, tending to cause thelever b to raise the cam off the sheet, the adjusting-screw actingagainst the spring when such is employed. Any other suitable adjustmentmaybe employed. For instance, as shown in Fig. 5, the screw e and s ringf may be dispensed with and small was ers or other weights lbe threadedon a pin 7c to adjust the weight of the cam a, in this case the lever I)being preferably fiXed to the bracket.

The device having been fitted to the reciprocating bar d and adjusted,it is reciprocated in such a manner at the correct time that the inertiaimparted to the cam on the forward movement causes it to rise'or jump,as shown in Fig. 1, the forward velocity being sufficient 'to maintain.the cam in its raised condition IOO draw the sheet up to the side lay has the device continues its backward stroke and as shown in Fig. 2. Thedevice may be applied to work from either side, as desired. The side layor stop h may be iitted with curved pins i, which prevent the paperbuckling, such as might occur with very thin paper, the two pins bearingon the top of the sheet and stiffening the portion between them.

The form of cam and supporting member may be varied. For instance, thelever may be fixed to its bracket and the latter be made adjustable. Thecam or weight may be in the form of a freely-mounted eccentric roller orwheel n, as shown in Fig. 6.

In small machines, or in other cases where it is desirable to push thesheets up to the side lay or stop, the cam or weight may be reversed andadapted to push the sheet on the forward stroke, freely sliding andleaving the sheet on the return stroke. By this arrangement the cam maybear with suflicient pressure to push the sheet forward until itencounters the side lay or stop, when the cam slides.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. An automatic side-lay device for printing and like machines,comprisinga reciproeating bar, a freely-pivoted weight adapted to reston the bar when stationary or when moved in one direction and to raiseunder the influence of its inertia when moved in the opposite direction,and means for supporting the pivot ofthe weight.

2. An automatic side-lay device for printing and like machines,comprising a bar, a bracket mounted thereon, means for ad just-- ing therelative position of the bracket on the bar, an ovcrhanging arm on saidbracket, a weight freely pivoted on the end thereof, said weight beingfree to rise due to its inertia when the device is moved in onedirection and being free to fall and bind against the bar when thedevice is moved in the reverse direction.

3. An automatic side-lay device for printing and like machines,comprising a bar, a

bar adapted to rise under the influence of its.

inertia when moved in one direction and to fall against the bar whenmoved inthe opposite direction, means for supporting said weight, andmeans for adding to or subtracting from said Weight to adjust thepressure thereof on the bar.

5. An automatic side-lay device for printing and like machines,comprising a bar, a bracket thereon an overhanging arm pivoted on thebracket, means for securing said arm in its adjusted position, a weightfreely pivoted on the free end of the arm and free to rest on the barwhen stationary, or when moved in one direction and means on the weightfor receiving additional weights.

6.` An automatic side-lay device for printing and like machines,comprising a bar, a bracket secured thereon by va screw-and-slot device,an overhangin'g arm on said bracket, means for adjusting said arm, aweight freely pivoted onthe free end of said arm and ad apted to rest onthe bar when stationary or when moved in one direction, and a stationaryside lay or stop consisting of a plate having an "opening therein topermit the passage of? the bar and appurtenances thereon, and upturnedpins adjacent said opening, substantially as and for the purposeshereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I haveI signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK EDWARD HODGKINSON. I/Vitnesses:

FRANCIS J. BIGNELL, BERTRAM H, MATTHEWS.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in Letters PatentNo. 840,211,

granted January 1, 1907, upon the application of Frank EdwardHodgkinson, of London, England, for an improvement in Devices forFeeding Sheets to Printing and Like Machines, was errroneously Writtenand printed The Printing Appiiance and Engineering Company Limited,whereas vthe said lname should have been written and printed ThePrinting Appliances and Engineering Company Limited and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction` therein'that, thesame may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Oice. Y

Signed and sealed this4 12th day of February, A. D., 1907.

. [SEAL] F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

